Inside the Footprint
Selling in Delray Beach?
Ask the awkward questions on the first call. I would rather answer them then than at the inspection.
Direct representationThe parts that go wrong, and when
Insurance decides more Florida closings than any feature of the property does. A quote on the specific address, obtained during the inspection period rather than after it, is the single most useful thing a buyer can do for their own timeline. Age of roof, construction type and elevation drive the number, and a carrier declining to quote at all is something you want to discover while you still have a contingency to rely on.
Where I actually add something
Most of what makes a Delray Beach listing go smoothly happens before it goes live: the survey, the permit history, association documents where they apply, the insurance record on the property, and anything that is going to surface in an inspection anyway. Found two weeks early, those are administration. Found the day before closing, they are a renegotiation. That unglamorous part is a good share of what I am actually for.
Price these before you commit
- Windstorm and flood are underwritten separately from the main policy across much of Florida. Price them on the specific address before you are under contract, not after.
- For condominium buildings of three storeys or more at the relevant age, Florida requires milestone structural inspections and a structural integrity reserve study. Both change assessments and financeability. Read them before waiving anything.
- The homestead exemption reduces taxable value on a Florida primary residence, and the Save Our Homes cap limits how fast the assessed value rises afterwards. Portability may carry a benefit from a prior Florida homestead. Your county property appraiser is the authority, not your agent.
- Title in Florida is customarily handled through a title company rather than an attorney as a matter of course, which changes who you call when a question arises mid-contract.
Other cities in Florida
Questions people actually ask
How does the homestead exemption work?
It reduces the taxable value of a Florida primary residence and, through the Save Our Homes assessment cap, limits how fast the assessed value can rise afterwards. Portability may let you carry a benefit from a prior Florida homestead. The county property appraiser is the authority on your specific situation — I am not a tax adviser.
Do you handle rentals in Delray Beach?
Ask me. It depends on the property and the season, and I would rather answer honestly for your situation than post a blanket policy here.
What happens if I need an agent somewhere other than Florida?
I refer you. My licence is Florida only, so for anywhere else the honest service is an introduction to a licensee in that state through The Keyes Company.
Do I need to worry about the flood zone and elevation?
Look both up before you are under contract rather than after. The flood zone determines whether cover is required by a lender, and on an older property an elevation certificate can move the premium substantially. That certificate is a surveyor’s document rather than an agent’s opinion, and the seller may already hold one. Ask for it early — it is one of the few pieces of paper that can change the arithmetic of a purchase by a large amount.
What is an estoppel letter and why does it hold things up?
It is the association’s written statement of what is owed on a unit — dues, assessments, transfer fees — and a Florida closing involving an association generally waits for it. The association has a statutory period in which to produce it and charges a fee for doing so. It is ordinary and entirely predictable, and it delays closings only when nobody ordered it early. Ask for the association’s governing documents in the same breath.
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About Jacob Campbell Read the FAQ
Jacob Campbell · Florida Real Estate Sales Associate, license 3623732 · The Keyes Company · 561.301.7130